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3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

6 spring onions, trimmed and thinly sliced, green separated from white

450g (1 lb) minced chicken

225g tin of water chestnuts, drained and finely chopped

3 tbsp chopped coriander

4 little gem lettuces, broken into individual leaves (see recipe introduction)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Sang Choy Bow are bite-sized pieces of food wrapped in lettuce before eating. Variations can be found in most Chinese restaurants. The secret to making them is to prepare all of the ingredients well in advance. I normally use the smaller inner crisp leaves of little gem lettuce but you could use iceberg lettuce or chicory leaves. Break the leaves into similar sizes, place in a plastic bag and keep in the fridge until you need them.

Place the sherry in a small bowl and stir in the cornflour to form a smooth paste. Stir in the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sugar and chicken stock until well combined. This sauce can be made in advance and chilled for up to 24 hours until needed.

Heat the sunflower oil in a wok or large frying pan over a medium heat. Stir-fry the garlic and the whites of the spring onions for 2-3 minutes until softened and just turning golden. Increase the heat to high, add the minced chicken and fry for about 5 minutes until just cooked through and beginning to brown, breaking up the chicken using the back of a spoon to ensure there are no big lumps. Add the water chestnuts and cook for a further 1-2 minutes.

Push the mixture to one side and then pour the prepared sauce into the wok, stirring until it boils and thickens. This will take 1-2 minutes. When the liquid is bubbling and thickened stir in the chicken mixture and mix well to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir in the green of the spring onions along with the coriander.

Arrange the lettuce leaves on a large serving platter. Spoon a small amount of the warm chicken mixture on to each lettuce leaf. Wrap up and eat with your hands.

Black Pudding Croûteswith Red Onion Marmalade

This canapé is not as unusual as it sounds! Black pudding is often served as a tapas dish in Spain, where it is known as morcilla, and is usually homemade from a family recipe that has been passed down over many generations. Don’t be tempted to make these too far in advance or the croûtes will go soggy.

Makes 30

1 French stick, cut on the diagonal into 30 evenly sized slices (ends discarded)

4 tbsp olive oil

450g (1 lb) black pudding, cut on the diagonal into 30 evenly sized slices

100g (4oz) Red Onion Marmalade (see page 209)

flat-leaf parsley sprigs, to garnish

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), gas mark 6. Arrange the French bread slices on large baking sheets in a single layer. Brush 2 tablespoons of the oil on the bread slices and bake for 6-8 minutes until the bread is pale golden and crisp. Allow to cool slightly.

Heat the remaining olive oil in a large frying pan and cook the black pudding slices over a medium heat for 1 minute on each side until cooked through. You may need to do this in batches. Drain on kitchen paper.

Place a piece of black pudding on each croûte and top with a small spoonful of Red Onion Marmalade. Arrange on a large platter, garnish each canapé with a little parsley and serve at once.

Parma Ham & Rocket Rolls

Makes 20

150g (5oz) ricotta cheese

2 tbsp Pesto (see page 208)

10 slices of Parma ham

50g (2oz) wild rocket, stalks removed

Maldon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Shown on page 59, these are very simple but look and taste quite special. They can be made an hour in advance and kept in the fridge until you are ready to eat them. When cutting the Parma ham, don’t worry if each slice is not perfect, you can neaten them up as you roll them. A great alternative to Parma ham is bresaola – very thin slices of air-dried, salted beef.

Mix the ricotta with the pesto in a small bowl and season generously with salt and pepper.

Carefully cut each slice of Parma ham in half across the width and arrange on a clean work surface. Spread a heaped teaspoon of the ricotta mixture in a thin even layer over each one, then lay a few sprigs of rocket lengthways across each slice, leaving the sprig ends hanging over the edges.

Roll each one up and arrange on a serving platter. Cover loosely with cling film and place in the fridge until you are ready to serve.

Pumpkin & Haricot Bean Soup

Haricot or cannellini beans work best for this – use the freshest you can find or they can take an age to cook. As this recipe makes such a large quantity you may wish to freeze some. Allow the soup to cool and then pour into freezer bags or containers with lids (leave enough space for expansion). To thaw the soup, leave overnight at room temperature and reheat until piping hot.

Serves 10-12

Vegetarian (if vegetable stock is used)

275g(10oz) dried white haricot beans, soaked overnight in cold water

2 tbsp finely chopped sage

4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

2 fresh bay leaves

2 thyme sprigs

2kg (4½lb) pumpkin or butternut squash

3 tbsp olive oil

2 onions, peeled and finely chopped

2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped

2 celery sticks, finely chopped

3 litres (5 pints) vegetable or chicken stock (see pages 218— 19)

Maldon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pesto, to garnish (see page 208)

rustic crusty bread, to serve

Drain the soaked beans and place in a large saucepan with plenty of cold water. Bring to the boil and boil fast for 15 minutes.

Drain the beans and rinse thoroughly in cold running water. Return the beans to the saucepan and cover them with 5cm (2in) of fresh water. Add half the sage, half the garlic, the bay leaves and thyme sprigs to the pan and bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour or until the beans are tender, topping up with boiling water if necessary. Drain and rinse briefly, discarding the bay leaves and thyme sprigs.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 230°C (450°F), gas mark 8. Cut the pumpkin or squash into wedges, not more than 7.5cm (3in) thick and scoop out the seeds using a large spoon. Brush all over using 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, place them in a large roasting tin and season generously with salt and pepper. Roast on a high shelf in the oven, for about 45 minutes or until softened and caramelised, turning once.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the remaining sage and garlic, the onions, carrots and celery and cook for 10-15 minutes until soft but not browned, stirring occasionally. Pour in the stock and bring to the boil, then season with salt and pepper and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the vegetables are completely tender and softened. »

Allow the roasted pumpkin or squash to cool, then scoop away the flesh and discard the skin – you should have about 1kg (2lb 2oz) in total. Add to the saucepan and simmer for another 15-20 minutes until the pumpkin is tender and has started to break down. Whiz the soup to a purée with a hand-held blender or in batches in a food processor, then add the cooked beans, season with salt and pepper to taste and reheat gently.

To serve, ladle the soup into warmed bowls and top each serving with a teaspoonful of pesto. Serve hot with some crusty bread.

Carrot, Ginger & Honey Soup

I love everything about this soup – it’s really simple to make, the ingredients cost very little, the flavours are gorgeous and it ends up the most fantastic vibrant orange colour.

Serves 6—8

Vegetarian

75g (3oz) unsalted butter

1 onion, peeled and thinly sliced

20g (¾oz) root ginger, peeled and finely chopped

700g (1½lb) carrots, grated

1 tbsp runny honey

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Maldon sea salt and freshly ground white pepper

lightly whipped cream and snipped chives, to garnish

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and ginger and cook gently for 8-10 minutes until soft but not browned, stirring occasionally. Stir in the grated carrots, honey and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.